Candle



United States Patent "ice 3,150,510 CANDLE Emmett P. Klopfenstein, 450 S. Aldenville Ave., Covina, Calif. No Drawing. Filed Dec. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 157,812 16 Claims. (Cl. 67-22) This invention relates to a candle which will burn with a colored flame and, more particularly, to a candle which will burn with a green flame.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a candle which burns with a colored flame wherein the candle itself, rather than the wick, is the source of the color in the flame.

Another object of this invention is to provide a candle which burns with a green colored flame wherein the candle comprises ethyl carbamate, which candle is the source of the color in the flame.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a candle which burns with a green fringed, yellow center flame, wherein the candle comprises paraffin and/ or beeswax which are modified so as to be the source of the color in the flame.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention it is believed will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof.

Although candles which burn with colored flames are known, previous work in this area has centered on candles which contain wicks which have been treated so as to burn with a colored flame. The present invention is a departure from this previous work in that it involves the treatment of the candle proper, rather than the wick, in order to produce a colored flame. The candles of the present invention possess certain distinct advantages ver those of the prior art. For example, the flame of the candle of the present invention'tends to be more full in its color effect than in a candle where only the wick provides the color because once the candle has commenced 'burning the top of the candle becomes quite fluid and forms a small reservoir of coloring material. When the candle comprises ethyl carbamate, it has a distinct tendency to weep, i.e., to form a liquid at burning temperatures, which liquid runs down the side of the candle and produces novel decorative effects. Furthermore, the addition of modifying materials to the candle is both simple and economical which makes possible the manufacture of candles having a variety of color effects without resort to complicated processing procedures. The following specific examples are illustrative of the composition and process of this invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific details thereof:

Example 1 Candles were prepared having the following composition:

- Percent Ethyl carblarnate 80-99 Tri hexyelene-glycol biborate 1-20 These candles burn with a bright green flame. As the percent of biborate was increased, weeping increased and the rate of consumption correspondingly increased. The flame became brighter as the percent of biborate was increased, and 5% b-i-borate was found to be the optimum for a green flame.

Example 11 Candles were prepared having the following composition: 7

Triethanolamine borate Up to 20%.

Ethyl carbarnate Over 20%.

3,150,510 Patented Sept. 29, 1964 The candles burn with a subdued green flame. Weeping increased with increasing percentage of borate. Trieth anolamine borate may be used individually or in com- 'bination with the other borates disclosed as operable in this invention.

Example III Candles were produced having the following composition:

Barium oxalate Up to 9%. Ethyl carbamate Over 91%.

These candles burn with a flame having a green fringe. It was found that bar-ium oxalate has a tendency to suppress the size of the flame to a point such that over 9% will completely extinguish the flame.

Example IV Candles were produced having the following composition:

Barium picrate Up to 1%. Ethyl carbamate Over 99%.

These candles burn with a flame having a green fringe. It was found that if more than 1% barium picrate was used explosions violent enough to put out the flame occurred. Further experimentation also developed that barium picrate could be used to clear the wick of contaminants when other additives were used in a candle. Normally, /2% was found sufiicient to explode the nodules of other compounds and thus keep the wick clean.

Example V Oandles were produced having the following composition:

Tri-n-propyl borate Up to 10%. Ethyl carblamate or over.

Candles having the following composition were produced:

Tri-isopropanolamine borate Up to 10%. Ethyl carbamate Over 90%.

These candles were found to burn with a flame having a green fringe. However, the tri-isopropanolamine borate produced nodules on the wick which require that barium picrate also be added to remove them.

Example VII Candles having the following composition were produced:

Trimethylamine borane Up to 5%. Tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate 2 to 8%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

Candles having the following composition were also produced:

Trimethylamine borane Up to 5%. Tri-isopropanolamine borate 2 to 8%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles burn with a dull green flame with a yellow tip in the center.

3 Example VIII Candles having the following composition were produced:

Isopropyl polyborate Up to Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles burn with a flame having a green fringe. Even in the smallest percentages, isopropyl polyborate caused popping and caused the flame to spread over the surface of the candle.

Example IX Candles having the following composition were produced:

2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl borate Up to 10%. Tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate Up to 20%. Triethanolamine borate Up to 20%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles burn with a dull green flame. The 2,6-dite'rt-butyl-4-methylphenyl borate had a tendency to dull the flame as the percentage was increased. The methylphenyl borate also had the tendency to increase the yellow part of the flame.

Example X Candles having the following composition were produced:

2,6-di-tert-butylphenyl di-n-butyl borate Up to 10%. Tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate Up to 20%. Triethanolamine borate Up to 20%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles had the same characteristics as those of Example IX.

Example XI Candles having the following composition were produced:

Tribenzyl borate Up to 25%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles burn with a green flame. When the percentage of tribenzylborate was increased over 10% the flame had a greenish fringe.

Example XII Candles having the following composition were produced:

Barium nitrate Up to 20%. Tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate Up to 20%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles burn with a flame having a subdued green color, as Qompared with the flame of the candle of Example I. Increasing percentages of barium nitrate had a tendency to cause the green color to become dull.

Example, XIII Candles having the following composition were produced:

Barium nitrate Up to 6%. Triethanolamine borate Up to 20%. Ethyl carbamate Remainder.

These candles burn with a green flame which was subdued as compared with the flame of the candle of Example II. Increases in barium nitrate increased the rate of consumption of these candles.

Example XIV Candles having the following composition were produced:

Tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate Up to 50%. Parafiin Remainder.

Candles having the following composition were produced:

Tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate Up to 40%. Beeswax Remainder.

These candles burned with a flame having a green fringe and a yellow center. Increasing percentages of the biborate resulted in an increasing tendency on the part of the candle to become soft to the point that at 40% biborate the candle would not stay erect.

As may be seen from the foregoing description, various decorative and ornamental effects may be obtained through the use of the hereinabove disclosed candle compositions. For example, candles having a flame spread over the top of the candle, which flame burns with an attractive color, may be produced according to Examples V and VIII. Furthermore, the hue of the flame may be varied by varying the combination of the modifying ingredient set forth in the examples, e.g., Examples II, XII and XIII. However, even if these special effects were not obtained, the present invention would nevertheless have the advantage of providing a simple and economical method of producing candles which will burn with a colored flame.

I The candle compositions set forth in the examples of this disclosure may be varied by adding any of the conventional fillers known to the art. For example, the candles of Examples I to XIII could contain beeswax and/ or paraflin, although this would reduce the color intensity of the flame.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A candle which burns with a greenish flame comprising a major proportion of ethyl carbamate and a minor proportion of a member selected from the group consisting of tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate, triethanolamine borate, barium oxalate, tri-n-propyl borate, triisopropanolamine borate, barium picrate, trimethylamine borane, isopropyl polyborate, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl borate, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-phenyl di-n-butyl borate, tribenzyl borate, and mixtures thereof; said candle having a wick.

2. The candle of claim 1 wherein the trihexyeleneglycol biborate is present in an amount of from 1% to 20% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

3. The candle of claim 1 wherein the trihexyeleneglycol biborate is present in an amount of 5% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

4. The candle of claim 1 wherein the triethanolamine borate is present in an amount of up to 20% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

5. The candle of claim 1 wherein the barium oxalate is present in an amount up to 9% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

6. The candle of claim 1 wherein the tri-n-propyl borate is present in an amount up to 10% of the ethyl carbamate and the barium picrate is present in an amount of from A to 1% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

7. The candle of claim 1 wherein the triisopropanolamine borate is present in an amount of up to 10% by weight of the ethyl carbamate and the barium picrate is present in an amount of about 0.5% by weight of 'the ethyl carbamate.

8. The candle of claim 1 wherein the trimethylamine borane is present in an amount of up to 5% by weight 5 of the ethyl carbamatc and the trihexyelene-glycol biborate is present in an amount of from 2% to 8% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

9. The candle of claim 1 wherein the triethanolamine borane is present in an amount of up to 5% by weight of the ethyl carbamate and the triisopropanolamine borate is present in an amount of from 2% to 8% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

10. The candle of claim 1 wherein the trihexyleneglycol biborate is present in an amount of up to 20% by weight of the ethyl carbamate and barium nitrate is present in an amount of up to 20% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

11. The candle of claim 1 wherein the triethanolamine borate is present in an amount up to 20% by weight of the ethyl carbamate and barium nitrate is present in an amount of up to 6% by weight of the ethyl carbamate.

12. A candle which burns with a greenish flame comprising paraifin and up to 50% by weight of trihexyeleneglycol biborate; said candle having a wick.

13. The candle of claim 12 wherein the tri-hexyelemglycol biborate is present in an amount of 5% by weight of the paraflin; said candle having a wick.

14. A candle which burns with a greenish flame com- 5 prising a mixture of beeswax with up to 40% by weight of tri-hexyelene-glycol biborate; said candle having a wick.

15. A candle which burns with a greenish flame comprising a major proportion of ethyl carbamate and up to 1% by weight of barium pierate, said candle having a wick.

16. The candle of claim 15 wherein a member selected from the group consisting of trihexyleneglycol-biborate, triethanolamine borate, barium oxalate, tri-n-propyl borate, tri-isopropanolamine borate, trimethylamine borane, isopropylpolyborate, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl borate, 2,6-di-tert-butylphenyl di-n-butyl borate, tribenzyl borate, barium nitrate and mixtures thereof is present in an amountof up to 20% by weight of the ethylcarbamate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,184,666 Fredericks Dec. 26, 1939 2,481,019 Joyce Sept. 6, 1949 2,504,211 Means Apr. 18, 1950 2,551,574 Fredericks May 8, 1951 2,771,764 Moorman et al Nov. 27, 1956 

1. A CANDLE WHICH BURNS WITH A GREENISH FLAME COMPRISING A MAJOR PROPORTION OF ETHYL CARBAMATE AND A MINOR PROPORTION OF A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TRI-HEXYELENE-GLYCOL BIBORATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE BORATE, BARIUM OXALATE, TRI-N-PROPYL BORATE, TRIISOPROPANOLAMINE BORATE, BARIUM PICRATE, TRIMETHYLAMINE BORANE, ISOPROPYL POLYBORATE, 2,6-DI-TERT-BUTYL-4-METHYLPHENYL BORATE, 2,6-DI-TERT-BUTYL-PHENYL DI-N-BUTYL BORATE, TRIBENZYL BORATE, AND MIXTURES THEREOF; SAID CANDLE HAVING A WICK. 